The present invention relates to a novel and useful design for a communication, data, and electrical Utility Raceway. The Utility Raceway can be used as a structural member of a fixed or moveable wall or partition. The Utility Raceway has increased wiring capacity and increased flexibility allowing addition or deletion of data, communication, and electrical conductors and devices on both sides of said Utility Raceway. Other compartments of said Utility Raceway can be used for air handling, signal wiring, emergency wiring, gas or other utilities.
Raceways are not new concepts. A common Utility Raceway designed to accommodate said communication, data, and electrical devices and device mounting brackets on both sides of said raceway is new. Existing raceways are not designed to be used as a structural member that will support walls. Said Utility Raceway can be used as a structural member to support walls.
AT Power Systems, Tehalit, Easy WireBowers, Walker, Nepco, The Wiremold Co., Midland Ross, Isoduct, Hubbell, Dual-Lite and Panduit all have raceway systems that will accommodate electrical power, data, and communication. These raceway systems are not designed for mounting electrical, data and communication devices and device mounting brackets on both sides of said raceway systems, and they are not designed for use as structural support.
HKL, Tyton Corporation, and Circuit Trak all have non-meatlic raceway systems that are designed for low voltage communication and data or other non-UL listed low potential conductors. None are designed for power, 300 V to ground. None have the ability to mount devices and device mounting brackets on the front and back of said raceway systems. None can be used as a structural support for modular or fixed walls and partitions.
Although there are raceway systems that are designed to accommodate electrical power, communication conductors, data conductors and devices none can be used for structural support of a fixed or moveable partition or wall. None are designed to access both sides of said raceway systems. None are designed to be the structural top of a moveable or fixed wall or partition for use with lighting equipment as well as communication, data and power. None have a cover that is designed for use in dividing compartments. None have designed a cover that will reduce the electro magnetic interference--EMI--and radio frequency interference--RFI--to an acceptable level. None have designed raceways for use with fiber optic cable.
The present invention shows a Utility Raceway that has sweep elbows that will allow ease of fiber optic cable to make vertical or horizontal turns. The present invention has the ability of addition and deletion of electrical power, communication and data device plates and brackets for mounting of devices on both sides of the raceway. Holecuts can be provided in the center I beam structure that will allow both sides of the raceway to be used for fiber optic, data, power and communication conductors. Thus, making the sweep radius larger for ease of use with fiber optic conductors and connection of coaxial conductors to their devices. Tee and crossover connections, using the present invention's barriers in conjunction with said holecuts in the I beam structure, will allow greater ease of crossing power and low potential conductors. This will allow greater ease in radius sweeps for fiber optic and coaxial conductors. The present invention may use metallic or non-metallic dividers separating the compartments. Metallic dividers in said Utility Raceway or in a metallic cover can help reduce the electro magnetic interference--EMI--and radio frequency interference--RFI.